New [Thai] 2nd Army Region commander pledges to improve ties with Cambodia [... until the next clash]

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, Sept 29 (MCOT online news)- Thailand's new Second Army Region commander Lt Gen Thawatchai Samutsakorn pledged to boost ties with Cambodia and will attend a Regional Border Committee (RBC) meeting in Siem Reap in late October.

Speaking to journalists after assuming the post from his predecessor Lt-Gen Veevalit Chornsamrit who will retire on Friday, Gen Thawatchai said he was not worried as he has been working in the northeastern region since he was a second lieutenant.

Regarding relations with the neighbouring country and the questions of peace and order along the Thai-Cambodia border, he said his policies will not be different from his predecessor, but there will be additional policies such as more frequent visits to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

The general said he would meet Cambodia's fourth region army commander at the RBC in Siem Reap at the end of October. Details of the discussions will be conveyed to his superiors and the government accordingly.

If Thai-Cambodian ties improve, it may lead to considering the opening of the Khao Phra Viharn National Park, he said.

The new second army region commander pledged he would try his best to handle the border issue and to strengthen relations between soldiers of the two countries.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia regarding the border dispute flared after the World Heritage Committee (WHC) registered the ancient Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site last July.

Cambodia attempted to propose a temple management plan to the WHC, but Thailand opposed the move as problem of the contested 4.6sqkm of land near the temple remains unresolved, leading to several military clashes along the Thai-Cambodian border.